moving to new zealand

Phone: +64 (0) 9 307 6111UK freephone: 0808 234 3587IRE freephone: 1800 551 316

www.catalystrecruitment.co.nzhttp://www.catalystjobs.co.nz

http://catalystrecruit.wordpress.com/

The Definitive EngineersGuide to Moving Your

Career and Familyto New Zealand

• 13CostlyMythsStoppingPeopleMakingTheMoveToNewZealand

• The11BiggestMistakesPeopleCanMakeWhenMovingToNewZealand

• The8DangersOfWorkingWithTheWrongRecruiter

• 3MistakesPeopleMakeAboutNewZealandRecruiters

• 8‘NoNonsense’PowerQuestionsToAskNewZealandBasedRecruitersToMakeSureYouAreWorkingWithTheBest

• 12ReasonsWhyYouShouldMoveToNewZealand

• DirectoryOfUsefulInformation

• 4StepsToFindingOutIfNewZealandIsAViableOptionForYouAndYourFamily

Read this guide and you will discover:




1. It is too difficult to get a VISA

ItisdifficulttogetaVISAforAustraliaorCanada,sopeopleincorrectlyassumethatitisdifficulttogetaVISAforNewZealandaswell.TheNZImmigrationprocesscanbeveryfriendlyfortherightperson-especiallyforengineering&constructionspecialists.

2. It will cost too much to move there

Movingcountriescanbeexpensive–howeverinsome(orusuallymost)casesyoucangainassistancefromyourpotentialemployerwhowillputtogetherarelocationpackagetoassistyou.ComparethecostofmovingtoalessexpensivelifestyletothecostofstayingintheUKandyouwillprobablybefarbetteroff.

3. It is too far away from home

Itisapproximatelya24hourjourneytimetoNewZealand;youcanbebackintheUKforanyreasonthenextday.NewKiwi’susuallyfindthatthebenefitsoflivinginNewZealandfaroutweighanydistanceissuesasyouquicklysettleintoyournewlife.

4. I will be leaving all of my friends and family behind

True, althoughphone calls canbeas littleas0.7pperminuteandyouwill veryquicklymakenewfriendswhoshareyourvalues.AsforyourUKfamily–theywillprobablyhavethebestholidaysoftheirliveswhentheycometovisit.TheinternetalsomakesstayingincontactacrosstheglobeeasyusingvideophoneSkype,Facebook,andotherservices.

5. The kids will be leaving all their friends and family behind

True,butusuallythekidsaretheeasiestofthefamilytosettleastheymakenewfriendsveryquickly.AgaintheyhavethephoneandSkypetostayintouchwiththeUKandtogetthemthroughtheearlystages.Yourchildrenaboveanyoneelseinthefamilywilljustlovetheirnewoutdoorlifestyle.

6. The education system is not as good as the UK

Nottrue,theeducationsysteminNewZealandisrankedasoneofthebesteducationsystemsintheworld(4thbestintheworld-2011MercerGlobalRanking)andindividualschoolinformationcanveryeasilybecheckedoutontheinternet.ManyschoolsalsouseUKqualificationssuchasCambridge.

13 Costly Myths Stopping PeopleMaking The Move to New Zealand

The Definitive Engineers Guide to Moving Your Career and Family to New Zealand“There is nothing to fear but fear itself”




7. The education system is not recognised internationally

This is untrue again. New Zealanders are highly sought after in a range of international locations.Australia and theUKare the two largestmarkets forKiwi’s although theUSAandMiddle East areequallykeentoemployourbest.

8. I will not earn enough in New Zealand to keep the same living standards

Thisagainisuntrue.AlthoughifyouconvertyourNZ$salaryinto£youmayfeelthatyouareearningless,butitisallrelative.Theactualcostoflivinginabeautifulcountrywhereyoucanwalkordrivetothebeachwithouttrafficjamsorpayingtoparkorwhicheveractivitytakesyourfancy–faroutweighshavingafewextrapoundstospendonanindooractivityintheUK.ThequalityoflifeyourfamilywillbeabletoaffordcannotbeboughtinmostpartsoftheUK.

9. I won’t be able to get a job in New Zealand

IfyouholdaprofessionalpositionintheUK,thereiseverylikelihoodthatyouwillbeabletosecurea similar position inNewZealand. This is becausewehave a skill shortage inNewZealand as ourprofessionalsareconstantlypoachedtotraveloverseas!

10. The family will make no friends

Thisdependsentirelyonyourattitude.IfyoucometoNewZealandandaretrulypreparedtogiveitagoandfitin,youwillfindKiwi’saresomeofthemosthospitablepeopleintheworld.WehaveallheardofpeoplemigratingtoNewZealandandnotfittingin.ThisisonlythecaseifyoucomehereandstarttellingtheKiwi’sthattheyaredoingitallwrong.Inthatcasetheywillberightinaskingwhyyoucamehereinthefirstplace!

11. I don’t like dealing with recruiters

ItiswellknownthattherecruitmentindustryintheUKisacut-throatindustrywherenobodyseemstowin.InNewZealand,mostrecruitersarehighlyprofessionallongtermerswhoknowthemarketandtheclientsandwillprovideyouwiththehighestlevelsofservice.The best recruiterswork on your behalf in a consultativemanner and aim to secure you the bestavailable rolewith the right company in the right location.This isbecauseNewZealand is amuchsmallermarketandyoucan’taffordtogetabadreputation–ever–somethingthateveryoneneedstorememberwhicheverindustrytheyworkwithin.

12. New Zealand is a backward country with no technology

Untrue-severalofNewZealand’smostsuccessfulindustriesareincomputertechnologies(e.g.WetaWorkshops3DrealisticgraphicsasseenintheLordoftheRingsfilms).InmanywaysNewZealandleadstheworldintechnology,althoughwehaveamuchmorelaidbackapproachtomostthings.Whentheheatison,Kiwi’swillusuallyendupontop.

13. The same role in Australia pays a lot more than New Zealand

Onfirstappearances,thismaywelllookthecase.Butconsiderthis...WouldyoumovefromyourhometowntoLondonforwhatappearstobemoremoney?IfsowhydoyouthinktheypaymoremoneyinLondon?AnyKiwileavingNewZealandto‘jumptheditch’looksfortheirNZsalaryplus40%plustheexchangerate - i.e. If youwere earningNZ$100k youwould be seeking around AUS $140k. Remember, themainreasontheAustraliancompaniesofferahigherincentivetomovethereisbecausetheworkingconditionsareharderandthecostoflivingishigher.




1. Get the wrong job - Itisimportantthatyoumatchyourskillsandambitionsandpersonality withtherightrolewiththerightcompanyintherightlocation.2. Expect to be treated like an expat - TherearemanyBritishpeopleinNewZealandandthey tendtointegratewiththeeasygoingcultureveryeasily.3. Accept a job on too low a salary - Itisimportanttodoyourhomeworkandmakesureyou knowwhatyouwantandthemarketratesforyourfieldbeforeyouacceptarole.4. Did not talk it through fully with the family and they were not fully on board resulting in you getting blamed when it went wrong! - Itisimportantyoudiscussthe decisionwithyourfamilythoroughlybeforeyoumakecontactwithpotentialemployersinNZ.5. Accept a job in a very small town that will not provide the opportunities that you were expecting - Ifyouarenotfullypreparedforthelocationinwhichyouaccepted arolethisisprobablybecauseyouhavebeenmisinformedbyeitherthecompany(ifyouwent direct)orapoorrecruiter.Yourlifestylewillvarydramaticallydependingonwhereyouendup sodoyourhomeworkandmatchthelifestylewiththelocationyouwantinNewZealand.6. Accept a job with the wrong company with a poor reputation in the market, who do not look after their staff - Again,youwillavoidthis ifyoudealwitha recruiterwhoisviewedasanindustryspecialistandwhoknowsyourmarket(seethequestions intheappendixforassessingrecruiters).7. Use too many recruiters - Aprofessionalfootballplayeronlyhasoneagenttolookafterhis affairs-yourcareerisjustasimportantsoitisbesttoselectthebestpersontorepresentyou sotheyunderstandyouandyourneedscloselyandworksolelyonyourbehalf.8a. Accept a job with a similar job title to your current one - only to find that it is a very different role in NZ - Again–thereisnoreplacementforlocalspecialistknowledge. Youneedtoavoidbeingsoldalinebypotentialemployers.8b. Accept a job with the right title that was very different in New Zealand and nobody was able to advise me as I went direct - Asabovein8a.9. Not fully understanding the migration process and applying for the wrong VISA, putting the family’s future on hold while you wait - Usearecruitmentfirmthat specialisesinassistingBritishpeoplemoveintoNewZealand.Theywillbeabletopointyouin therightdirectiontoensureasmoothpassage.10. To presume that New Zealand is just like the UK - Inmanywaysthecultureissimilarbut therewillbesurprisingdifferences.Beflexibleandreadytoadapt-thatishalfthefun!11. To accept the wrong role only to find that your career has been put back several years - Once again a quality recruiterwill be able to advise you accuratelysoyouhaveagoodunderstandingofyouremploymentoptions.

The 11 Biggest Mistakes People MakeWhen Moving to New Zealand

“A decision made in fear is always the wrong decision” - Tony Robbins




1. Some recruiters will send your CV out to clients without ever speaking to you; this actually breaks the Privacy Act. The likely outcome is that your CV will not be presented in the best possible way to the clients - Limitingthenumberofcompanies thatwillpotentiallyinterviewyou.Eachcompanyshouldbeindividuallyapproachedbyphone –notjustsentyourCV.Thismeansyoumaymissoutontherolesthatbestsuityou.2. Some recruiters will just try to place you to get a fee rather than know the market well enough to discuss all of the potential employers who may be interested in your CV - Thisalsomeansyoumaymissoutontherolesthatbestsuityou..3. Some recruiters do not have your best interest at heart and will convince you to take a lower paying job or miss-inform you about a job just to get the placement - Your goalandthegoalofyourrecruiterMUSTbetogetyouthebestjobinthebestlocationforyour career, lifestyle preferences and family needs. Do not accept anything less than 100% commitmentfromyourrecruitertoachievethisgoal.4. Some recruiters do not have your best interest at heart and will convince you to take a position in a poor location just to get a placement - Onceagaintherecruitermustbe workingwithyourbestinterestsatheartoryouwillnotgetthebestoptionsavailabletoyou.5. Some recruiters will not understand your background and therefore may not be able to secure you that all important interview or not submit your CV to the correct companies - If theydonot take thetime tounderstandyou, your family, andyourindividualneedsthenhowcantheyhelpyougetwhereyouwanttobe?6. There are recruiters out there with a bad reputation and many potential employers will not read CV’s from them - Theserecruiterswilltellyouthattheycanhelp you,butwillnotrepresentyoustrongly(becauseinasmallcountrylikeNewZealandreputations areeverything).7. Some recruiters know nothing about migrating to New Zealand and the challenges this can pose if you’re not careful - Theonlyoptionistouseanexperiencedrecruiterwith anextensivetrackrecordofbringingpeopleintoNewZealand.Thatwayyoucanbeassured thatyourfamilyhasthebestteamonyourside.8. Some companies involved in helping people get to New Zealand actually charge a fee - Norecruitershouldeverchargeacandidateafee!Companiesthatoffera‘jobsearch’ serviceforafeeusuallyendupcontactingspecialistrecruitersasthespecialistrecruitershold thein-depthrelationshipswiththeclients.

The 8 Dangers Of Working WithThe Wrong Recruitment Consultant

It is important that you receive a balanced view of New Zealand so that you are aware of some of the potential dangers of coming to New Zealand. Once you know what these issues are, you can seek out the right knowledge to eliminate the dangers. The key to success is to have a great team working on your side but you need to select your recruiter carefully.




1. Most recruiters are like used car salesmen! This is untrue. InNewZealand,most recruiters do afine jobbecause reputations are very important inNewZealand,but likeanythingyouhavetoresearchcarefullytofindtheright persontospeakwithandinterviewthemasmuchastheyinterviewyou!2. Believing your recruiter when they say New Zealand is perfect! ThetruthisNewZealandisgreatbutnotperfect,ifanyonetellsyouwedon’thaveourfair shareofproblems they’renotbeing completelyhonestwithyouandnot focusingonyour needs.YouneedtogainabalancedviewofNewZealandbeforeyouarrivesothatyouandyour familyarenotdisappointedfromthestart.3. Believing false promises from your recruiter. Recruitment is competitive and sometimes some recruiters will oversell a job to secure a candidate. Unfortunately it usually ends in disappointment for all concerned and a lot of wastedtime.Ifsomethingsoundstoogoodtobetrue,itprobablyis.

3 Mistakes People MakeAbout Recruitment Agencies

8 ‘No Nonsense’ Power Questions to Ask Recruiters toMake Sure You Are Working With The Best

These are not difficult to overcome as long as you are aware of them.

“Fotune favours the bold”

Selecting the best recruitment firm to work with you can be as easy as knowing what questions to ask and knowing what answers to look for. The difference between having the best players on your team and average players in any area of life can make all the difference to your family’s happiness in New Zealand.

8 ‘No Nonsense’ Power Questionsto Select your Recruitment Partner1. Howmanypeoplehaveyoupersonallybeen

responsibleforrelocatingtoNewZealand?

2. Wouldyoupleaseexplainthedepthofrelationshipsyoupersonallyholdwithyourclients?

3. AreyouallowedtospeaktolinemanagersorjustHR?

4. Canyouexplainyourpersonalknowledgeoftheindustryyouworkwithin?

5. Areyouaspecialistwithinyourfield?

6. Howwelldoyouunderstandmyroletechnically?

7. WhichcompaniesareyounotallowedtosendCV’sto?

8. Howquicklydoestheprocesswork?Whatisyourprocess?

CompanyX CompanyZCompanyY




1. Beaches - fromallofthethreebiggestcitiesyoucanbeonthecleansandybeachesinless than15minutes.2. Safety - NewZealandisoneofthesafestplacesintheworldtolive,eventheGovernmentis ratedasoneoftheleastcorrupt!3. Space - 4millionpeopleinacountrybiggerthantheUK.Freedom,lessstressandbustleand withthesunonyourback(justrememberthesunblock)!4. Weather - Christmasdinneronthebeach,makesuretowearsunscreenandputsomeshade overtheXmasPudding,andicetochillthewineandbeer.5. Commuting - Itisunusualtohavetotravelmorethan20minutestowork.Parkingisusually outsidewhereyouworkandtrafficisgettingbusierinsomepartsbutnothingliketheUK.Work hardandthenleaveworkandgostraighttothebeachoraparkwiththekids.6. Skiing - Whatyoudon’tskiyet?Wellyouwillsoon(orat leastsnowboard!).Thefieldsare withineasyaccessfromallthemaincitiesandthesnowiscleanandcrisp.7. Kids - Letyourkidsgrowupinsunshineandsafety!8. Outdoors - Spectacularscenery,youarefreetoroamwithoutthefearofpoisonoussnakes &spidersanddiscoverworldclasscountryside.TheydidnotshoottheLordoftheRings in NewZealandfornothing!9. Culture - Worktolive,notlivetowork.10. Sport - Kayaking/Skiing/Rugby/Golf/Sailing/Cricket/Ironman/Surfing -whatever you like to playorwatch this is a sportsmad culturewhere it is safe andquitepossible to go to any sportingevent.11. Health - Live thehealthiestoutdoor lifestyle; giveyour kids something todo that ismore exciting(andbetterforthem)thanTVandcomputergames!12. Auckland - Isconsistentlyvotedasoneofthebestfivecitiesintheworldtoliveandaccording tosomeitisNewZealand’sthirdbestcity!

12 Reasons Why You Want To Give Your FamilyThe Gift Of A Life In Paradise

Amazing facts about New Zealand• NZhasmoregolfcoursespercapitathananyothercountry.

• NZwasthefirstcountryintheworldtoallowwomentovote.

• NZhasthehighestcarownershipintheworld.

• NZhasnodangeroussnakes,spiders,crocodiles,sharks,orjellyfish.

• NZisover1000milesfromAustralia.

• 22%ofNewZealanderswerebornoverseas.

“You only get one shot at this game... life is not a dress rehearsal”




General Informationwww.emigratenz.org/LivingInNewZealand.htmlwww.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/cat/C50www.move2nz.co.nzTourism Websites - for generic city informationwww.nz.comwww.tourism.net.nz

Generic city Information

Auckland www.aucklandnz.com www.aucklandtourism.co.nz www.aucklandcity.govt.nz

www.arc.govt.nz

Christchurch www.christchurch.org.nz www.ccc.govt.nz

Dunedin www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/newcomer

Hamilton www.hamilton.co.nz

Tauranga www.tauranga.govt.nz

Wellington www.wellingtonnz.com www.wellington.govt.nz

New Zealand Immigrationwww.immigration.govt.nzwww.bunac.org

Educationwww.ero.govt.nzwww.minedu.govt.nzTechnical Professional Recruitmentwww.catalystjobs.co.nz

Directory of Useful Websites and BooksFor Information and Further Research

Amazing facts about New Zealand• NZishometotheworld’ssmallestdolphin-HectorsDolphin.

• NZishometotheworld’srarestSeaLion-HookersSeaLion.

• NZishometotheworld’slargestsparrot-theflightlessKakapo.

• NZishometotheworld’soldestandlongestlife-spanreptile-theTuatara(livingover100yearsandoriginating225millionyearsago).

• NZ ishometo theworld’sheaviest insect - theWeta (bigger thansparrows).

• NZishometotheworld’ssmallestbatsintheworld-only10grams.




4 Steps to Finding Out If New Zealand IsA Viable Option For You and Your Family

Amazing facts about New Zealand

1. Make a commitment to act

‘Nothinghappensuntilsomethingmoves’isthetitleofabookbyRobertRingerandheisright.IfthingsarenotasgoodasyouwantthemtobethengetseriousaboutfindingoutifNewZealandcouldbefeasibleforyou.

2. List your objectives

Hereisthemostimportantstep.Unlessyouknowwhatyouwantyouwillneverknowwheretofindit.

3. Ask Questions

Therightanswersliebehindaskingtherightquestionsoftherightpeople.

4. If you are a suitable candidate and you know New Zealand can give you what you want for your career and family then take a deep breath, be bold, and do it!

ThereisnoclasssysteminNewZealand,ifyouareagoodpersonthenyouwillberespectedandyouwillsucceed.Wesincerelyhopewegettoseeyouwhenyougethere.

• KiwiSirEdmundHillary&TenzingNorgaywerethefirsttoconquerMtEverest.

• Auckland’s Sky Tower is the tallest building in the SouthernHemisphere(just4mtallerthantheEiffelTower).

• New Zealand has the longest place name in the world:-‘Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu’

• ThereisnotreeonAuckland’s“OneTreeHill”

• 90milebeachisactuallyonly65mileslong!

• NewZealandhasdeserts,glaciers,rainforests,alpine,&geothermalregions.

• TheCroppRiverregionreceived18.4mofrainin1997.




Appendix: OK... So how does Catalyst Recruitment Stack Up Against the8 ‘No Nonsense’ Power Questions to Selecting a Recruitment Partner

8 ‘No Nonsense’ Power Questionsto Select your Recruitment Partner

1. HowmanypeoplehaveyoupersonallybeenresponsibleforrelocatingtoNewZealand?More and more people are coming from the UK and more recruiters are getting involved. Having successfully moved over 300 families from the UK since 1996 we understand the process, many don’t!

2. Wouldyoupleaseexplainthedepthofrelationshipsyoupersonallyholdwithyourclients?New Zealand is a small place and relationships are absolutely key to being successful. We’ve been working with our clients since 1996 and know them inside out. When you can take them to the rugby and support opposing sides and still do business afterwards you know you’ve got a good relationship.

3. AreyouallowedtospeaktolinemanagersorjustHR?If you can speak to the line managers you can get a real feel for a department or division within a company and pass that onto your candidates. Initially our clients were reluctant to let us have that access but over the years since 1996 we’ve gained their trust and can now speak openly about their particular needs and styles of leadership.

4. Canyouexplainyourpersonalknowledgeoftheindustryyouworkwithin?15 years of recruitment industry knowledge and 5 years of Civil Engineering Experience is a surprising amount. A lot happens in the industry and a good recruiter knows what work is coming up as well as the people who are involved. Of course we don’t know everything but we do have the relationships to find out!

5. Areyouaspecialistwithinyourfield? Yes is the quick answer. If you don’t work with a specialist you risk missing opportunities that may be perfect for you. Also, only a specialist would have access to the right people in an organisation, a general recruiter won’t get past the door!

CatalystRecruitment CompanyYCompanyX




8 ‘No Nonsense’ Power Questionsto Select your Recruitment Partner

CatalystRecruitment Company3Company2

Howwelldoyouunderstantmyroletechnically?As with question 5 it’s imperative to speak with a specialist. At the end of the day we are recruiters and so we won’t know your job inside out. However having interviewed the right candidates and speaking with our clients continuously since 1996 we can discuss in some detail what you want and where you are likely to be successful.

6. WhichcompaniesareyounotallowedtosendCV’sto?No recruiter can work with everyone in New Zealand and give a good service. For whatever reason there will be a few companies we don’t deal with and that’s fine, a good company will tell you who they are. What they definitely will have though is a list of companies they do work with that they know very well and have great relationships with, all the better for securing you the right role.

7. Howquicklydoestheprocesswork?Whatisyourprocess?It’s difficult to say how long the process should take; it can depend on the time of year, the type of work you want etc. Once we have spoken to you and gone through all you needs regarding New Zealand we will immediately get your CV out to our clients. From then there is close communication to take you step by step through interviews, immigration etc until you arrive in New Zealand. Of course it doesn’t stop when you arrive either as we’ve got to take you for a beer!

Amazing facts about New Zealand

• NewZealandhasmoreScottishpipebandsthanScotland!

• Dunedin’sBaldwinStreetisthesteepeststreetintheworld.

• WellingtonisthemostSoutherlycapitalintheworld.

• Gisbourneisthefirstcityintheworldtoseethesunriseeachday.

Thank you for taking time to read this summary report based on an interview with Andy Hopkins & Phil Ponder at Catalyst Recruitment.




Andy Hopkins wasaCivilEngineerworkingontheM1WideningProjectin1996,whenhedecidedtomovetoNewZealandtoplayaseasonofrugby.He lovedhisfirst6monthssomuchthathedecidedtostayandisnowmarried toaKiwiwithadaughterborn inFebruary2007andasoninDecember2009.SincehisarrivalinNewZealand,AndyhasbeenrecruitingintheTechnicalDisciplinessince1996.

“When I was first considering the idea I guess I was a little scared - it’s a daunting decision as all my friends were moving to Australia, but after a few months I knew I was in the best place in the world as the quality of life for my family is incredible”

Phil PondercametoNewZealandin2000asaschoolteacherhoweverhe made a career change and started recruiting in 2001. Phil is alsomarriedtoKiwiwithadaughterborninJanuary2011.Hespecialises inplacingconstructionandcivilcontractingprofessionals.

“I was living in Sheffield when we decided to move, we were living in a cardboard box on the side of the street. Little did we know what we were missing when we came to New Zealand, we now have a two storied cardboard box with all day sun”

Mireille Verdonkschot(pronounced“Miray”)movedtoNewZealandfromtheNetherlandswithherfamilyattheageofeightsoknowsfirsthandwhatit is likemovingtoanewcountry.MireillefocusesonrecruitmentwithEngineeringConsultantsinthetechnicalprofessionaldisciplines.

“I will always look back fondly on my childhood. My parents had a dream of providing their children with a better life. The move to New Zealand provided me and my siblings opportunities and experiences that would never have been possible in the Netherlands“

AndyandPhilbothmovedtoNewZealandinsearchofabetterlife.Forthemtheexperiencehasbeensuchagooddecisionthattheynowspendtheirdaysmakingtheprocesseasyforotheradventurouspeoplewhowanttomakethesamejourney.

Andy, Phil, Mireille, and Fran are leading experts in international sourcing and recruitingtechnical professionals for Consulting Engineers, Civil Contractors, Local Government,GovernmentAgenciesandUtilitycompanies.

Who are Catalyst?

Fran cametoNewZealandfromtheUKin2010onaWorkingHolidayVISAaftercompletingadegreeinMarineBiology&Oceanography.FranspecialisesinplacingEngineeringConsultantsintheWater&WasteWatersectors.

“Moving to New Zealand happened very fast for me and my partner; we were living and working the New Zealand life before our feet had even touched the ground. Looking back I would say that it was the best decision for me and my future and I am certainly not looking to return back to the UK any time soon”

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